Cheesemakers Get Two Convincing Wins Over Edgerton and Whitewater
The WIAA Division 2 No. 3-ranked Monroe Cheesemakers faced a Rock Valley conference Rock Division team and a Rock Valley Conference Valley Division team and won both softball games in convincing fashion. Monroe beat Edgerton of the Rock Division on April 21,10-3, and they beat Valley Division rival Whitewater on April 22, 15-2.
In the Monday game, four different players had multi-hit games in the Cheesemakers 10-3 win over the Edgerton Crimson Tide. Senior Kaegann Paulson went 2x4 with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Olivia Feller was 2x2 with a double and scored three runs. Senior Alexis Herbst went 2x3 and drove in three runs and sophomore Paizley Kundert was 2x3 with an RBI and a run scored. Paulson pitched all seven innings and gave up just one earned run on one hit and struck out 11.
In the game against Whitewater on Tuesday, shortstop Jade Hawkinson led the Cheesemakers by going 1x3 with three RBIs and scored a run. Senior Sophie Golembiewski had three hits, two RBIs and scored three times. Seniors Chesney Slotten, Brinley Roidt, and Herbst drove in two runs apiece as the Cheesemakers scored a season-high 15 runs. Paulson pitched all five innings and gave up two runs, none earned, and got five batters to strike out.
The Cheesemakers are hosting their own tournament April 26 with games against Lake Geneva Badger and Reedsburg at Twining Park.
Risum Leads Brodhead to 13-0 Win Over Edgerton
Senior Ava Risum did it all for the 10th-ranked Brodhead Cardinals in a 13-0 win over the Edgerton Crimson Tide in five innings on April 22. The reigning Rock Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year gave up no runs and no walks and recorded 13 strikeouts on just 69 pitches. At the plate, Risum slugged two home runs, had three hits, scored three runs, and racked up four RBIs. Junior third baseman Leah Rear was 2x4 with a triple and two RBIs. Senior first baseman Tatum Ceslok went 1x3 with a double and two RBIs. The win improves the Cardinals to 5-2 in the Rock Valley conference Valley Division, and 6-2 overall. The Cardinals played a non-conference game on Fri. April 25 at home against Columbus.
Juda-Albany Drops Six Rivers Game To Barneveld 7-3
The Juda-Albany Panthers could not overcome a 6-1 deficit and lost to the Barneveld Golden Eagles, 7-3 in Six Rivers Conference softball on Tue. April 22. Barneveld scored three runs in the first inning and three more runs in the fourth inning to take control. Sophomore Anna Bartels belted a home run and led Jubany with two hits and two RBIs along with a run scored. Sophomore catcher Phoenix Homan got a hit, scored a run, and drove in a run for the Panthers. Junior Emerson Briggs started for Juda-Albany and allowed six runs on 11 hits. Briggs struck out five and walked one. Juda-Albany dropped to 2-5 in the Six Rivers conference and 5-6 overall. The Panthers played in back-to-back Six Rivers conference games on Thur. April 24 at home against Benton-Shullsburg and on the road Fri. April 25 at Benton-Shullsburg.
Marshall Pitcher Throws Perfect Game Against Belleville
Marshall Cardinals pitcher Kennedy Weisensel threw a perfect game in beating the Belleville Wildcats 12-0 in five innings in Capitol South conference softball on April 21. Weisensel, a junior, needed just 64 pitches, 47 for strikes, to set the Wildcats down (15 batters) in order every inning. Sophomore Brynn Prochaska started in the pitching circle for Belleville and gave up 12 runs on 10 hits. She struck out five and walked six. The Wildcats fell to 0-4 in the Capitol South, 1-7 overall with the loss. Belleville played Waterloo on April 24 in Capitol South conference action.
Riverdale Wins Over Darlington 14-4
The Riverdale Lady Chieftains used a 12-hit attack to down the Darlington Redbirds, 14-4 in SWAL softball April 21 at Darlington. Riverdale scored in every inning but the first to end the game early on the 10-run rule in the sixth inning. Sophomore Ryleigh Norgard came up with two hits, including a double, three RBIs, and scored a run for the Redbirds. Junior Sydney Wiegel and senior Ella Winslow combined to strike out 10 batters for Darlington. The Redbirds fell to 1-5 in the SWAL with the loss, and 1-9 overall. The Redbirds are at Fennimore to meet the Golden Eagles on April 24 in SWAL conference play.
Belmont Blanks Pec
Belmont, Division 5’s No. 1 ranked team, defeated Pecatonica 13-0 on April 21 in a Six Rivers Conference game. The Braves scored one run in the first inning, three in the second, another in the third, then broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning. Belmont had nine hits and walked six times, as well as took advantage of three Viking errors. Diana Hendrickson was 2-for-2 for Pecatonica, and Tatum Kurschner had Pec’s only other hit (plus a walk). Hendrickson took the loss in the circle, allowing 10 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Jenna Kurschner got the final out after a pair of walks.
Early runs help MNG over RR, late heroics lift Ponies past PC
Monticello-New Glarus scored three runs in the first and plated two more in the second inning en route to a 5-3 win over River Ridge in a Six Rivers game April 21. Seven MNG players recorded a hit. Eliza Legris tripled, and Karlee Wilkins and Molly Olson doubled, with Olson scoring twice. Freshman Heidi Olson was serviceable pitching, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks with six strikeouts.
On April 22, MNG played a game that came all the way down to the final at bat in a 10-9 win over Potosi-Cassville. PC scored five runs in the top of the second inning, but MNG responded by getting four back. PC scored two runs in both the fourth and sixth innings, with MNG gaining one run back in the bottom half of both frames. Entering the seventh, the Ponies trailed 9-6. Sadie Wilkins led off with a single to center, but back-to-back batters struck out. Needing a rally, the top of the order came through in the clutch. Molly and Heidi Olson each singled back up the middle to load the bases, and Dalana Trumpy punched a two-run single to right field to make it 9-8. Karlee Wilkins then stepped to the plate and launched a hit into the outfield to tie it up, and Trumpy later came around to score to end the game. Trumpy, Heidi Olson and Karlee Wilkins all had three hits and drove in two or more runners. Heidi Olson also walked twice. Molly Olson was 2x4 with three runs, and Sadie Wilkins had two hits and two runs. Malorie Miller was the pitcher of record, tossing all seven innings, allowing nine earned runs on 15 hits and just one walk. MNG played Highland on April 24 and will host Barneveld April 28 and Pecatonica April 29.
